the 370Z.com OFFICIAL football (soccer) thread

[phelan]

depends on what other transfers chelsea can do this summer, but i think even abramovich will start to look ahead to the financial fair play rules.

blue did you see THE ronaldo is actually dragging his fat *** back onto the pitch for corinthians again???

Yeah I was going to bring that up but forgot

[phelan]

fack manchester united officially league champions.

[cow]

Hooray for City, though.

[Red370]

what a fvcking joke, Squillaci costs us 2 more.

[phelan]

Disagree, Bent was quite brilliant in the first 15 minutes. After that we just couldn't get a goal to save our lives!

Really, really excited for Ajax / Twente. Trying to avoid the news until I get home and watch it on ESPN3

Hey blue how about your boy?




Did anybody else watch Seattle vs. Portland? Almost sounds like a European game for once, the sound was absolutely deafening in there! Hell there were even chants of 'Same old Portland, always cheating!'

Thanks for that reminder

[phelan]

Anytime

[cow]

I wanted to watch the Portland match (I've adopted them as "my" MLS team), but was dragged out by friends.

[Jon@AAMComp]

I don't believe Kaká goes to Chelsea this summer, I see him making a return to Serie A. He may not be in a Milan shirt, but I do see him back in Italy.

I think an interesting point of conversation now that seasons have ended is all the new teams we will see in the group stages of Champions League next year! Lille in, Dortmund, Leverkusen, Napoli, Porto, CITY, the list goes on.

[phelan]

Arsenal will have to slog through the qualifiers

VERY excited for Lille...unless they sell Eden Hazard, then they lose a lot of their teeth. Dortmund as well, with Sahin going to Real Madrid (which I'm still not happy about, but such is life). Napoli is always one of my favorite teams, not the typical Italian team and is a very exciting watch.

Good to see Porto back, but remember the gulf in class between Portugal and England? Even Arsenal crapped on them two years ago so I don't hold a lot of high hopes for the Portuguese champions.

With all of leagues winding down (AJAX!!!!!! ), it's looking like another busy as hell transfer season as teams try to get the last piece of the puzzle, while preparing for the financial fair play rules. I was reading, though, a LOT of clubs are in very good position. ManU, Chelsea, and Man City are the obvious ones that stick out like a sore thumb, though. Guess it shows what the EPL thinks of money haha!

[Jon@AAMComp]

Arsenal usually make it in, even if it's through the qualifiers.

Lille, yes, I can't remember if Lille has ever played in Champions league football in their history. I don't follow Ligue 1 that much, unfortunately.

And Porto won the tournament a few seasons back, brushing Monaco aside 3-0. But you're right, in recent years, the Portuguese sides have struggled. The CL is pretty unpredictable in the group stages and in the knock out rounds, so we'll have to wait and see.

I've high hopes for Ajax too, I'd like to see them advance to the semi-finals or even the final. What an exciting final it would be to see two totally new teams like a Dortmund/Napoli final, Ajax/Valencia, or City/Lyon.

[phelan]

I would absolutely love a final like that, but I doubt anybody is going to get through Barcelona's cheating and Sepp Blatter will make sure of that it will be very tough for a new team like Lille to break through the old standards of the CL.

It's like watching Tottenham this year, capable of magic, but when the pressure's really on, they get walloped by Real Madrid haha

*sips haterade*

Quick Arsenal mention - I have a very, very bad feeling that the Gunners will slip even further next season. Call it my sixth sense in overdrive right now, but it just doesn't have a good vibe to it right now. The sad thing is, I don't think any purchase / transfer will fix it. We're done for another few years IMO. Not that I'll stop supporting the club or anything, I just think we're going to be disappointed until J.Wilshere turns 23.

<------- Also.

*end Arsenal quip*

NOOOOOOOOO West Ham sacked Avram Grant

[Jon@AAMComp]

West Ham are going down to the Championship, did you expect him to stay? On a positive note for the Hammers, Chris Hughton might be stepping into the vacated manager's seat:

McClaren, Hughton, Allardyce and Keen in the running for the Hammers job (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)


Given what he did with Newcastle last season, I think he or Big Sam would be great to manage this club.



Phelan, I can remember reading what I think was Four Four Two about the predictions on the events forthcoming to the Premier League within the next 10 years. One of which, was that one of the 'Big Four' clubs are going to fall from the Top 5 in the table, and one of them will be relegated within the next 10 years. I can't really see Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal or even Liverpool being relegated, but would you venture as far to say that within the next 10 years, Arsenal will place out of the top 5 or even out of Europa league competition?

The dynamics of what has been known as the 'Big Four' at the top is definitely changing. In the early/mid 90s it was really the 'Big Two', just Arsenal and United. I think now more than ever, City will be there, Spurs will be there, and Liverpool may find a revival under Kenny Dalglish. Balance of power at the top is shifting, and I love it. I would want Chelsea to win as much as possible of course, but even more than that, I'd rather see another club winning than United.

[phelan]

Jon - I was more joking about Avram Grant. Honestly I was very surprised he lasted this long to begin with. His dour nature never really earned the support of the Hammers faithful, and it's a shame that WHU, on their touted move to Olympic Stadium, will have to ply their trade in the Championship next season. Even worse, they will now lose out on keeping big players like Scott Parker and Rob Green, although the latter they might be okay with. I can see a big bidding war for Parker coming up soon, with Gunners in the lead as they need someone like him BADLY.

VERY pleased to hear Hughton is in for the running. Out of those four in that paper, I think Hughton is most deserving. Robbed of his managerial power at Newcastle by an idiot owner is no way to end a career, and wouldn't just be poetic justice for him to lead ANOTHER club back into the EPL just after his departure?


(long rant, spoiler'd in case u wanna skip)

( Click to show/hide )

Honestly, I don't think either Arsenal or United will ever be relegated, they just have that kind of staying power. The only way United will get relegated will be if they just collapse under the weight of their own debt. I was seriously worried about Liverpool for a while under Woy, but Dalglish has been an absolute magician with the current side, and provided NESV are more careful with their expenditures they will be fine.

I fail to see Spurs if Redknapp goes on to coach England. Spurs right now are a mirror of Redknapp, laissez-faire in the market, tap the big money at the last second, and then go for broke. Admirable gestures, yes, but won't get you very far, and there's even talk this season that they will have to sell some of their best players already. Wonderful year to be a Spurs fan, but it's a short road for them.

Chelsea and Man City worry me just because of the financial implications, without the big money, admittedly, both teams would never been in the standing they have right now, although at least Josh Mc(something?) and Sturridge are through Chelsea's academy. Who's in ManCity's? uhm...


It's interesting that the articles would say within 10 years. I'm actually worried about Arsenal next year to do anything more than 5th place in the league. It's the last year before financial fair play, I see it as the big cash grab and go for broke season for many.

Out of all the teams though, I only think Chelsea and Spurs have a small chance of being relegated. United has too much power, and the guard is already being replaced - Hernandez what a find! - and Liverpool is...well....Liverpool, they'll figure it out. And my beloved Arsenal? We haven't gone down since the EPL started, so I think we'll manage somehow

I don't count City as a big club yet, they're too 'new money' for me.

Parity in the EPL is great for the neutrals. I can't see an EPL without Arsenal/Manchesters/Chelsea/Liverpool, but I wanna still be a soccer fan when Blackpool wins the EPL

Any thoughts on QPR and Norwich who are coming up next season? I haven't watched a lot of Championship football. I think Cardiff might have a good chance for the 3rd spot too.